Best Laid Plans
by chymom
Summary: A challenge lines storie. About Liz plan to get Don back. Will it work?


Title: Best Laid Plans

Author: chymom

Word count: 1,465 words

Character/parings: Liz/Charlie, Don/?,Amita/?

Disclaimer: Numb3rs and its people don't belong to me.  
Summery: Liz has a plan to get Don back. What happens?

Spoilers: Not any this post.

Beta: Devo79Challenge lines: from Cover Me

David: That's not part of the plan.

Colby: That's the thing with plans. Man, they're great until you put them into action

Authors Note: This is set shortly after Liz and Don's split. Amita and Charlie also spilt around the same time. Any and all honest feedback is welcome.

Best Laid Plans

Things had started out innocent enough. A look here. A touch there. Each time Charlie would walk into a room their eyes would immediately connect. Soon Liz found the light touches and looks weren't enough.

She had wanted to show Don what he was missing. It was kind of low for her, but things had been wrong for some time before he had ended it. Taking the job with the drug taskforce had been the right thing to do. They both needed a clean break. If for nothing else then to clear their heads.

A few months ago Liz had found herself staring down a problem that she knew Charlie could help answer. It hadn't taken Charlie long to offer his help. On her way to Charlie's office Liz had heard loud voices coming from his office.

"How dare you. I never once led you on. If you cared about something other than work you might find out what life is really like. It's not all black and white, Charlie, there are a lot of gray areas. He wants me in his life and he shows me. Which is more than I can say for you." Opening the door Liz had almost been knocked down by a fuming Amita as she came storming out.

"Trouble in paradise?" Liz asked. Getting nothing in return she turned to see Charlie lost in thought.

"Charlie, is something wrong?" Liz was not too worried, she had seen Charlie zone out before. However this time seemed different. There was no math on his boards. No papers with notes in front of him. "Charlie, what is it?" Liz was trying to stay calm after what she had seen and heard. It was becoming harder and harder to do. "Oh, Agent Warner. I'm sorry I didn't see you. Is that the case you would like my help with?" He asked, not bothering to answer her questions.

"There's a drug runner who seems to be trying to throw us off. He keeps moving around a lot. After each sell he moves back a block or two but in the same spot." Charlie watched Liz as she spoke. "He's using a pattern then," Charlie inquired as he took the pages form her.

"I'll start running the numbers and see what I can come up with." Liz watched as Charlie was consumed by his work. A plan having nothing to do with the case had started to come to her mind.

Charlie had found another pattern that a man hadn't meant to be found. The case was soon finished and Liz was on her way back to the drug task force when she spotted Don talking to a woman. The woman had her back to Liz so she couldn't make out what was being said. After a moment Liz watched as Don put his arms around the woman and kissed her.

The way Don held this woman was different than the way he had held her. The last thing Liz wanted was to see that Don had moved on. Her feelings for him were still strong.

Through out the case Liz had learned that Amita had started seeing some one else. That she had done so shortly after Liz's departure. The hurt and confused look on Charlie's face made Liz almost want to forget her plan. She liked Charlie and didn't want to hurt him. 'things wont get that far. Don will come to his senses before that happens.' Liz kept telling herself. After seeing Don with another woman Liz was ready to start moving on with her plan. A few minutes later she called Charlie. "Charlie Eppes." Charlie answered his ringing phone. "Charlie, its Liz. Thanks for your help. Are you free tonight?" The words were out of his mouth before he could think. "Yes, did something go wrong?" "No, the bust went down right. I…" Liz was trying to figure out how to ask him what she wanted to. "We were going out for drinks to celebrate. I thought since you had a hand in the case that you might like to join us." Liz informed him. "Sure where are you heading?" Charlie asked.

Liz relayed the address and soon was off to get ready herself. The night had gone well. A few fights and a few yelling matches but it was a bar so this was to be expected.

Tonight Liz found that she was ready to execute her plan. She thought about letting Charlie in on it but once again thought things would be over before Charlie would be hurt. A few nights later Liz once again asked Charlie out for drinks. This time Liz found herself opening up to him. They talked about their ex's. About how things could have gone one way or the other. At the end of the night Liz had turned around and given Charlie a thank you kiss. Charlie had looked confused so Liz gave him another kiss. Charlie was no longer confused. She could tell by how he responded to her. Charlie pulled her closer to him deepening the kiss.

Now five months down the road Liz was finding that her well laid plan was backfiring. She had wanted to show Don what he was missing. Instead she was finding out what she had been missing. She was at Charlie's house more. In turn she saw more of Don. She found from time to time Don looking at her across the room. At first this had made her happy. After all that was what she had wanted all along. She had wanted him to notice her. She couldn't pinpoint when in the past five months things had changed but at some point they must have. Her glances to see if Don was watching them grew fewer and fewer. She also found that seeing Don with another woman was easier with time.

None of that mattered now. Tonight would be her and Charlie's first night together and Liz didn't want anything to upset that. Charlie had come over on time with a note book in hand and a bag on his shoulder. He had stayed at her place a few nights. As well as her staying at his house. They had let there hands and lips roam the other's body but had yet to take it any further. Tonight things were going to change and they were both ready for it. While getting ready for bed Liz watched her own reflection in the mirror. She saw the shame in her own eyes. There was no way that Charlie wouldn't be hurt now. She had come to care a lot for him. There was no turning back she had to tell him the truth and maybe then they could start over. "Falling in love with him. That's not part of the plan." Liz told herself out loud. "That's the thing about plans." Charlie said coming up behind her. "Man, they're great until you put them into action." Liz didn't know what to say. "You knew?" She asked not really wanting to know the answer but feeling that she needed to ask. "At first I had hoped that I was wrong. Then little by little I saw you watching Don. That's when I realized what you were doing." There was no anger in his voice only a touch of sorrow.

"I don't want to worry about the woman I love leavening me for my brother. If she was given the chance."

Liz didn't want to hear what she feared was next. The feel of his arms around her made her feel safe. The irony of that thought hit her hard. This man, who fought with his mind instead of weapons, could make her feel safe. Charlie knew what he should do. But at the same time he knew what his heart was telling him.

"Liz, I know that on some level you still care for Don and always will. At the same time I need to know that it's me you want and not just a stand in for Don." Liz had lowered her eyes when Charlie had started talking. When he finished Charlie turned her in his arms so he could see her eyes. He immediately saw the tears in them.

"Charlie, I don't know how to prove to you that I love you. Yes things started out with a plan to get Don back. But sometimes the best laid plans don't work out the way that we want." This was the point of no return. They both knew the road ahead of them was going to be long. But with each other to lean on anything could happen.


End file.
